And Then there were Four – Pride Middleweight Grand Prix Preview – Bios, fight histories, pros & cons and analysis of the match-ups.

The Iceman Speaketh: – Chuck Liddell talks about the Grand Prix, his upcoming match against Rampage Jackson and his potential match with both Silva and Yoshida. The Iceman also gives his post-fight thoughts on the Ortiz/Couture match.

IFC Golobal Domination brings back the 8-man ironman tournament with a talent-laden field and we bring you there for all the action.

In this month’s SHOOTO Report, we cover the Official fights held at Korokuen Hall in Tokyo and at Port Messe in Nagoya.

Every issue of Full Contact Fighter is jam-packed with fight news from the U.S. to Brazil to Japan. FCF travels the globe to bring the fights to you. Get yours today! Available at Tower Records stores around the world or by subscription…

LAS VEGAS, October 22, 2003…Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight star Robbie Lawler will return to the Octagon against Chris Lytle in one of the feature fights of UFC 45: Revolution LIVE on pay-per-view Friday, November 21, from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Ct.
And in a highly anticipated re-match, heavyweights Frank Mir and Wes Sims will renew their rivalry created at UFC 43: Meltdown, June 6, in Las Vegas when Sims was disqualified for violating UFC fight rules.
In the main event, Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes (29-3-0 in mixed martial arts) from Hillsboro, Ill., will defend his title for the fifth time against highly rated Frank Trigg (9-1-0) from El Segundo, Calif., and legendary knockout artist "Tank" Abbott
(8-9-0) of Huntington Beach, Calif., will meet Hawaiian power-puncher "Cabbage" Correira (18-4-0) of Hilo, Hawaii, in a heavyweight feature match.
Tickets, $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30, are on sale at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office and at www.tickets.com. Tickets also may be ordered by telephone at 1-800-477-6849. All purchases are subject to transaction fees. UFC 45: Revolution, which will celebrate the UFC’s 10th anniversary, also will be LIVE on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST on iNDemand, DirecTV, Dish Network, Bell ExpressVu, TVN, Echostar and Viewers Choice Canada. The suggested retail price will be $29.95.
Lawler (7-1-0) from Davenport, Iowa, and the Miletich Fighting Systems team, is returning to the Octagon after a seven-month layoff since suffering a torn hip flexor injury in his last fight against Pete Spratt April 26 at UFC 42: Sudden Impact in Miami, Fla. A powerful, explosive striker with a strong takedown defense, Lawler became an instant star with decisive victories over highly regarded welterweights Aaron Riley and Steve Berger, the latter by knockout before cameras for Fox Sports Net’s Best Damned Sports Show Period!
Lytle (26-9-4) from Indianapolis, Ind., is a well-rounded fighter who combines boxing, jiu jitsu and wrestling to submit opponents. "I strike well but submissions are my strength. Most of my victories have been by submission, which seems to be happening less in mixed martial arts," he said. Lytle said he looks forward to meeting Lawler whom he calls one of the toughest fighters in the world’s toughest weight class.
The Mir-Sims heavyweight re-match pits a Brazilian jiu jitsu submission specialist against a big freestyle fighter who made a mistake in the first fight and paid for it with a disqualification.
Mir (6-1-0) of Las Vegas dominated the first two minutes of the match and had Sims (6-2-1) of Columbus, Ohio, in an arm bar that could have ended it. Sims stood straight up and slammed Mir to the mat but then stomped on his face repeatedly, which is not allowed under UFC rules. Mir was dazed and the referee disqualified Sims for the illegal kicks.
Since exploding on the scene at UFC 34: High Voltage in Las Vegas with a first-round submission of Brazilian veteran Roberto Traven, Mir has continued his rise to the top of the heavyweight division with lightning quick submissions of veterans Pete Williams and Tank.
Sims, 6’10", 250 pounds, is one of the UFC’s biggest heavyweights. He says his favorite technique is wrestling, but his stand up is improving daily and his jiu jitsu is good. "I will have a game plan for Mir again, but will also bring some surprises to the fight. Some times it’s the element of surprise that shocks everyone that works best."
The UFC’s next live PPV event will be UFC 45: Revolution at 10 p.m. EST on Friday, November 21, from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Ct. The suggested retail price will be $29.95.

posted by Full Contact Fighter @ 8:00 pm

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